An innovative approach to participatory health policy development in Bulgaria: The conception and first achievements of the Partnership for Health. Issue 2 (February 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dimova, Antoniya; Rohova, Maria; Hasardzhiev, Stanimir; Spranger, Anne
• Is Part Of: Health policy. Volume 122:Issue 2(2018)
• Page Start: 81
• Page End: 86
• Publication Date: 2018-02
• Subjects: Health care reform -- Health policy development -- Participatory approach -- Stakeholders participation -- Public opinion -- Bulgaria; Medical education -- Periodicals; Medical policy -- Periodicals; Delivery of Health Care -- Periodicals; Education, Medical -- Periodicals; Health Education -- Periodicals; Health Planning -- Periodicals; Public Policy -- Periodicals; Enseignement médical -- Périodiques; Politique sanitaire -- Périodiques; Medical education; Medical policy; Periodicals; Electronic journals; Electronic journals; 362.1
• DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2017.11.002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0168-8510

Abstract

Highlights: The Partnership for Health was established in 2015 as a new forum for health policy development. A wide range of stakeholders are included to facilitate consensus building among experts. The Partnership helped to initiate several important reforms, such as introducing HTA in Bulgaria. Other countries suffering from political distrust or inconsistency of p. Abstract: The Bulgarian Partnership for Health was established in 2015 as a new forum for health policy formulation and discussion. The Partnership presents a new approach of structured and sustained stakeholder involvement to overcome the lack of public participation in health policy development and implementation. Constituted as a permanent consultative body to the Council of Ministers, the Partnership engages a wide variety of stakeholders and professionals to shape and improve health policies. The shared governance of the Partnership between the Minister of Health and a patient organisation supports the elaboration of legislative acts based on the stakeholders' collaboration in priority areas. The governance and organisational structure of the Partnership assures capacity building, fast mobilisation of experts, continuity of stakeholder involvement, and increased responsibility in health policy development and implementation. This type of participatory approach may help reconcile initially opposing positions and foster reforms often impeded by political antagonism. Persisting challenges are a rather slow process of policy development and different perceptions of key concepts among the stakeholders. As policy-making in many countries in Eastern Europe suffers from political distrust, the Partnership's approach of involving experts - and not only politicians - could provide inspiration also to other countries, which have struggled with inconsistency of health policies pursued by different governments.